Chapter 12
The sound of the waves woke Elizabeth at dawn. She had no patience to stay in the house and quickly decided to take a stroll. She could hardly do so in London, but staying in this lovely cottage gave her ample opportunity.
“I am going for a walk on the beach,” she told the butler.
“Alone, miss?” Marlowe asked.
“Oh, yes. Do not worry. I am accustomed to taking long walks every day at home. I shall be quite safe, there is nobody around.”
“Should one of the footmen not attend you? A maid?” the butler insisted. “Just for your safety.”
“Your concern is much appreciated, but there is absolutely no need, Marlowe. I shall only go as far as the beach and return to break my fast. Tell Lady Kendal and Lord Alveston, if they happen to enquire after me.”
“Very well, miss.” The man bowed obediently and opened the front door for her.
Elizabeth breathed deeply, closing her eyes to feel the breeze on her face.
Crossing the lawn, the scent of the sea drew her.
The beach was empty. To the right, she glimpsed the town in the distance—still silent at this early hour.
To the left, beyond the Kendal property, there were no houses and no sign of people, only a strip of trees and bushes that continued for several miles.
The tide was out, and at the water’s edge, the stones and pebbles of the beach gave way to sand. She took off her shoes and smiled at the soft, cooling feeling as her bare feet sunk into it.
She walked with only her thoughts to accompany her, the waves lapping around her feet.
Despite her struggle, she kept thinking about Darcy and speculated on a possible encounter with him.
She knew it was not fair to allow another man to occupy her thoughts with only a couple of months before her wedding, regardless of the peculiar circumstances of the engagement.
By the end of the summer, she would be the wife of a worthy man, who deserved all her consideration and care.
A wave washed over her feet and made her mindful of her surroundings.
She must find the strength to overcome any obstacles and fulfil her duty.
The sea helped her, comforted her. The chill of the water and the gentle breeze raised her spirits.
Her heart became lighter, and she felt drawn further and further away from any apprehensions.
As Elizabeth continued, the wet hem of her gown grew heavier with every step. She only stopped when an inlet suddenly appeared in her sight. From the cottage, it had been impossible to see, and her surprise was equal to her delight.
A bank of stones reached into the sea. Between two curves of the land, a beautiful bay was resting peacefully. Massive rocks—as tall as a wall—separated the beach from the green hill that almost invaded the sand. It looked completely different—like a small world separate from the rest of the beach.
Elizabeth, sighing with delight, stepped forward, ready to explore the stunning mix of colours and textures. The shoreline consisted of a mix of pebbles, stones, and small, sharp rocks; some greenery grew on the rocky coast, offering welcome shade to shelter from the heat of the dazzling sunshine.
The water was bright blue with shades of pale green. The waves were more prominent and more frequent, so Elizabeth’s gown quickly got wet to her thighs. She escaped a small wave and jumped from one leg to another, continuing to walk, taking one more step into the water.
She knew it was time to return, but she lingered for a short while examining the stunning surroundings. Near the rocky wall and the trees, she found a small cave and rested there. Solitude had never been so soothing, and she allowed the peace to envelop her.
With her eyes closed, her mind and her body found rest, and she eventually fell asleep.
Only when the sun’s heat burned her bare feet did Elizabeth wake up suddenly with a wince, realising how late it must be. The sun was high above her head, and her stomach confirmed it must be long past breakfast.
She brushed the sand from her gown and hurried back to the cottage, feeling drowsy from the warm nap.
As she turned to go, she noticed a path that meandered from the beach through the trees. She imagined it might lead to the main road, but she had no interest there. She had had enough of big towns and main roads. The sea and the sand were her new friends.
The moment she reached the far side of the beach, Elizabeth spotted the grove that surrounded their cottage and several people in front of it.
Her appearance was met with cries of joy, proving they were searching for her.
“Miss, miss, you are here! She is here!” Two maids ran towards her, repeating the same words.
“What is it, Jenny? Did anything happen?”
“Oh miss! No, nothing happened, but you were missing, and we have all been searching for you! We thought you were lost!”
“Lost? What silliness is this, Jenny? I went for a walk, nothing more!”
Elizabeth hurried inside, still holding her shoes, her wet gown clinging heavily about her ankles. She heard more loud voices, then Mary appeared.
“Lizzy, where have you been? Are you well? We were so worried! You really gave us a scare!”
“Elizabeth!” Lady Kendal called her. Her ladyship looked more distressed than Elizabeth had ever seen her. In the drawing room, Philip was in his chair—his face too was etched with despair.
“Elizabeth,” he whispered, stretching his trembling hands towards her. She dropped her shoes and stepped forward, kneeling before him and taking his hands.
“Elizabeth, my love, where have you been? We thought… I was so frightened!” He kissed her palms while she caressed his face. “I thought I had lost you. Where have you been?”
“Philip, why would you be frightened? I told Marlowe I was going for a walk.”
“But Elizabeth, that was hours ago! You left at seven o’clock and now it is almost noon!” Lady Kendal exclaimed. It was the first time Elizabeth had heard her ladyship raise her voice.
“The servants looked for you, but you were nowhere to be found. And they checked the beach, but there were no footsteps. We thought that an accident had happened. That you had gone into the water and…. I felt so helpless, so useless, waiting here, incapable of searching for you,” Philip mumbled, still kissing Elizabeth’s hands.
She was pained by the distress she had caused.
“My dear Philip, please do not say that. I am so grieved, so very grieved. I walked along the shore, through the water, towards the bay. And then I rested, but the fresh air and waves must have lulled me to sleep. It was so foolish of me! I never intended to stay out so long. I cannot apologise enough for the distress I caused you.”
She embraced him, then turned to Lady Kendal.
“My apologies, your ladyship,” she said.
“At Longbourn, I used to walk alone almost every day. And I have wished to continue that habit, including during my stay in new places. I beg you, do not worry! I am always careful. I would never put myself in danger. I simply enjoy the exercise.”
Her ladyship embraced her. “Mary told us this was your habit, but you were missing for so long, for so many hours… We thought you might have visited your parents, but you would have taken the carriage. Then we received a note from Jane for you and assumed you were not there either. We kept looking but found no trace of you, so we feared the worst sort of accident. We were just discussing how to inform your parents.”
“Oh dear, how thoughtless of me! I am so wretched for causing this much upset to the household,” Elizabeth said. “I promise I shall never cause you such distress again.”
“My dear, we do not want you to feel trapped. Perhaps we inflated the situation more than we should have. Of course you may go wherever you want whenever you please. From now on, we shall be more reasonable.”
“No, no. It was my fault entirely—I should have been more mindful of you,” Elizabeth declared with remorse. The thought that her actions had caused such turmoil made her heart ache.
“It is all over and done with now. I am happy that you are safe. That is all that matters,” Philip said, taking her hand again.
“You should change out of your wet clothes and then eat something. You must be starved after such an adventure,” Lady Kendal declared, attempting to jest. “Walking alone for two or three miles to the bay and back—very few young ladies could do it.”
“Very few ladies are like Elizabeth,” Philip added.
“So wild and disobedient, my mother would say,” Elizabeth said, mocking her own folly. “Now, please forgive me, I will change. I must at least improve my appearance, since my behaviour is so outrageous.”
“My dear, there is a letter from Jane in your chamber. I hope it contains only good news—we have had enough anguish for one day,” Lady Kendal uttered, while Elizabeth hurried towards her room.
∞∞∞
While changing her gown, Elizabeth’s self-reproach did not lessen.
Philip’s countenance—his desperate gaze, his paleness, the tremble of his fingers—tormented her.
For hours they had suffered because of her absence, and the effect upon him seemed to have been powerful.
It was her duty to take care of him, to protect both his body and mind from any disturbance and harm.
Her old habits might not be appropriate to her new position and her new responsibilities.
Lady Elizabeth Alveston should be more sympathetic, and perhaps Lizzy Bennet’s habits were ill-considered.
“Miss, Lady Kendal said she and Lord Alveston will rest for a little while. She asked you to forgive them. She said they both felt unwell and needed to sleep,” the maid informed her.
Elizabeth frowned. “Are they unwell, Jenny? Should we fetch the doctor?”
“Lady Kendal said nothing of the kind, miss. I believe it is their usual afternoon nap.”
“Did Lord Alveston sea bathe?”
“I do not think so, miss. Lady Kendal said you had not eaten anything. I shall bring your tea immediately.”
“Very well, thank you.”